In what amounted to one of the fewest points between Nos. 70 and 71st in FedEx Cup Playoffs history, Wyndham Clark survived and advanced the cut to the top 70 and next week’s BMW Championship.
Clark overcame a rocky finish, playing his final five holes at TPC Southwind in 4 over. He needed to get up and down for par at the last hole to edge Anirban Lahiri for the 70th and final spot into the field at Wilmington Country Club in Delaware, the second of three playoff events.
Clark, who entered the playoffs at No. 79 in the point standings and had jumped to No. 52 going into the final round, shot a final-round 2-over 72 and finished T-28. It was good enough to earn 118 points and finish with 645, three better than Lahiri.
Clark was one of four players who entered the week outside of the top 70 to move inside the top 70 and earn at least one more playoff start – and a chance to qualify for the FedEx Cup finale at the Tour Championship in East Lake.
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Lucas Glover, the big mover
Lucas Glover made the biggest move this week, leaping from No. 121 (and only getting in thanks to LIV players being eliminated from the standings) at the beginning of the week to 34th. He made birdies at 16 and 17 to temporarily tie for the tournament lead, but a bogey at 18 meant he signed for 66 and dropped into an eventual tie for third with Brian Harman.
“It’s nice,” Glover said. “Kind of similar situation a couple years ago and had, you know, one and a half good weeks and ended up in Atlanta. That was kind of in the back of my head and thought, you know, just got to get to the next week and then everybody’s got a shot.”
Trey Mullinax, off the bubble and comfortably in the BMW
Trey Mullinax started the week on the bubble at No. 70, and battled for the tournament title all week until late on the back nine Sunday. He shot 11-under 269 for the tournament, including a four birdie, four bogey final-round 70 and to tie for fifth. In doing so, Mullinax climbed to No. 40 in the standings to improve his chances of qualifying for the Tour Championship.
“Grateful to be where I am and I’m looking forward to next week,” said Mullinax, who will make his first start in the BMW Championship in his second Playoffs berth.
Adam Scott, riding hot putter at the right time
Scott entered the week at No. 77 and started the final round in 64th place in the point standings. Scott led the field in Strokes Gained: putting for the week—the first time he’s done so since the 2018 Northern Trust, according to stats maven Justin Ray—and it helped him move to No. 45 in the points heading into the BMW Championship.
“What’s satisfying?” Scott said. “Getting through I guess ultimately, but I played really poorly yesterday and somehow shot a decent score and to turn it around and play solid today and give myself a chance to go through, I’m happy with that. I get to play four rounds next week.
“I felt like my game is in a good enough spot that I wasn’t searching for anything this week. It was really about putting my mind to do something and getting it done,” he added.
For Lee Hodges and others, it wasn't meant to be
Those who had their seasons come to an end included Hayden Buckley, who started the final round on the right side of the cutline until he shot 78 and dropped to 98th. Tyler Duncan, who started the final round in a tie for sixth (projected 57th), shot 74 and plummeted to 104th in the standings. Lee Hodges made a valiant effort, shooting 65 but took three putts from 54 feet at the last, made bogey and finished 72nd.
Lahiri was the odd man out at 71st after missing the cut. John Huh withdrew from the tournament during the second round with a back injury and fell from 67th to 73rd. Brendan Todd, who started the week at No. 68, finished 67th and fell to No. 74 and out of a berth in the BMW. The fourth player to go from inside to outside the top 70 was Lanto Griffin, who did not play as he recovers from an injury.
